Daily Times

The federal education ministry gave a no-objection certificate (NOC) to the British Council on Thursday, allowing it to hold “special O-level examinations in July and August, which the government had previously postponed due to a spike in coronavirus infections and fatalities.

In a tweet, the minister said, “We issued an NOC today to British Council, allowing it to hold special O level exams from July 26 to August 6. This kind of exam in July is unprecedented, and I am happy that Cambridge is arranging it.”

The agency “is completely empowered to conduct a mini-exam series from July 26, 2021, to August 6, 2021, under all approved/notified Covid-19 SOPs existing for ‘A’ level exams, according to a letter provided by the minister and delivered to the national director of British Council-Pakistan.”

In another tweet, the minister said that ”This pandemic has created immense difficulties in all walks of life but specially in education. We have been taking difficult decisions to ensure that education/ learning continues. Every decision has pros and cons, but for us, the interest/welfare of students is always paramount.”

Earlier, the education minister informed that no examinations would take place in the country until June 15 as Covid-19 cases and deaths were on the rise. On the other hand, the government had authorised A2 examinations to be held at the time to help students who wished to take them to apply to overseas colleges.

Shafqat Mahmood said that the earlier decision was taken considering the Covid spike and the student’s safety.